Mod Lib Soldier's Story (Modern Library) (Modern Library War)

American five star General Omar Bradley's (the G. I's General) personal perspective on the latter part of WW2 from the deserts of Africa, the mountains of Sicily, the boot of Italy and eventually on to the beaches of Normandy and the defeat of Nazism.Most history is written, as you would expect, by professional historians who in the main have no or very little direct personal knowledge of the subject in question. To tell the story they use official documents and reports, interviews with the participants, archives, diaries, journals, and in some cases hearsay and even “common knowledge”. The older the period the less primary sources are usually available and so secondary sources are often used which can often contain errors and mistakes. This distance and disconnect from the real events as they occurred does inevitably mean that the writer has to use his/her imagination (along with all the material already mentioned) to bring out the truth. This need to use imagination to fill in the gaps in the record does unfortunately lead to personal bias slipping into the narrative even amongst the most diligent of historians. Objectivity is of course subjective, especially when dealing with the past.It is clear from Mr Bradley's supremely clear and easy to read personal history that he has no axe to grind and no battles to recreate for the reader. His agenda is clear from the first page when he says the book is “A Soldiers Story”, he being the soldier in question. Another aspect of the prose that comes over well is his obvious fairness to those he worked and fought with, the fact that he can criticize and then praise the same person on different pages at different times in different theatres is a good indicator that he does not remember situations and stressful times through rose tinted glasses when it suits him. It also acts as a guide to the complex emotions and stresses that he had to endure when trying to organise one of the most complex jobs ever held by anyone. Tempers sometimes flared and personal rivalries often made his job almost impossible, and it is clear that his clear head and calm nature did come to his aid on many occasions. He is obviously remembering things as they happened, and as he perceived them at the time. He does not, as some have, insulate and distance himself from criticism, he openly confesses that mistakes were made, opportunities missed, and misunderstandings in communications caused casualties that might have been avoided. He however makes it clear that he and other commanders made supreme efforts to minimise casualties at all times and that plans were always changed or amended if circumstances on the ground changed to any serious degree.Obviously making good use of his memory and the documentary evidence available to him, the story is told with a simple style and refreshing amount of candour and self deprecating humour. His regular runs ins with Patton, Montgomery, Eisenhower and Ike are well documented and feel real. The immense complexity and utter practicality of warfare is plainly stated from supply and deployment problems to the ever difficult task of anticipating your enemies intentions, strength and effectiveness in the field.One of the best books about the practicalities of warfare I have ever read and I have read quite a few. I'm sure many of the soldiers under his command may have read this quite outstanding book and now know why what happened happened the way it did.Great stuff.

I found this book fascinating and all the more so as it was written in 1947 while memories were still fresh. The greater part of the book is taken up in the Normandy campaign which tells me that the battles fought there loomed largest in Bradley's mind. He has tried very hard to be even handed and although he admits to being a Yankee at heart I still think his measured critisms of Montgomery are not only fully justified but reflect what most people say about him apart from a handful of apologists. Well worth reading.

General Bradley's memoirs are so modest and self-effacing that at times it is easy to forget the awesome responsibilities that he carried. He is very clear-eyed on the posturing of other generals notably George Patton and Bernard Montgomery but his actions always seem to be devoid of their ego and grand-standing. And there certainly appeared to be an awful lot of that going on around him and perhaps he was determined not to follow that path himself? It also questions, in a way, why allies reserve their most bitter hatred for one another rather than the enemy they are trying to defeat?A great and good man and perhaps the most under-rated of the war?

Very interesting.Omar Bradley has always lived in the shadow of other great allied generals of World War II (Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, etc ..).It's one of the reasons that led me to buy this book.We discover a man of character and determined but a man who has retained the sense of moderation and responsibility. Hence the good relations he kept with the personalities mentioned above.He was probably the right man to keep the balance between the impetuous Patton and Montgomery's takeover attempts.

As described, fast service - amazing book and a true part of history

haven't read the book yet, but looks very interesting.

A very good insight into the Allied Generals of WW2